Imperfect cosmopolis : studies in the history of international legal theory and cosmopolitan ideas / Georg Cavallar.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cavallar, Georg, 1962-

Series:

Political philosophy now

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political science--Philosophy.

Political science.

International law--Philosophy.

International law.

Cosmopolitanism--History.

Cosmopolitanism.

International law--History.

History.

Physical Description:

viii, 209 pages ; 22 cm.

Place of Publication:

Cardiff : Univ. of Wales Press, 2011.

Summary:

The unifying theme of the book is the imperfect nature of the cosmopolitan approaches and schemes of selected writers in early modern European history. It challenges the widespread assumption that the eighteenth century was a cosmopoliton century, and argues that many writers labelled as cosmopolitans turn out to be halfway cosmopolitans at best, writers focusing an European society (rather than their own home countries) or endorsing a form of cosmopolitanism very different from contemporary notions individual chapters analyse the cosmopolitan dimension of the so-called classical witers of the law of nations such as Victoria, Walff or Vattel and their role as possible accompolices of European calonialism and exploitation, the pan-European or cosmopoliton plans of some British authors, the economic, indirect and weak cosmopolitanism of more mainstream authors such as Hume or Smith, and late eitghteenth-century international legal theory and its gradual move towards a state-centered approach. The idea of a universal natural law was compatible with a heirarchy of races in the past. Moral or human rights cosmopolitanism was often imperfect, half-hearted or half-baked, though the book argues that we should be lenient with these early attempts. Forms of indirect, long-term economic cosmopolitanism usually triumphed over its contractual version.

In current debates, the term 'cosmopolitanism' has become a kind of buzz word. This book looks at the notion from a decidealy historical perspective, frying to give depth and texture to the concept. The book investigates the idea of cosmopolitanism, its ramifications and development in modern European history. It does not offer a comprehensive history of cosmopolitanism, but focuses on often neglected aspects and issues, such as its impact an international legal theory or the rights of strangers. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Introduction 1

2 Vitoria, Grotius, Pufendorf, Wolff and Vattel: Accomplices of European Colonialism and Exploitation, or True Cosmopolitans? 17

3 British Enlightenment: the Triumph of Commercial Cosmopolitanism 39

4 Kant and the 'Miserable Comforters': Contractual Cosmopolitanism 64

5 Late Eighteenth-century International Legal Theory: from Cosmopolis to the Idea of Europe 85

6 Immigration, Rights and the Global Community: Pufendorf, Vattel, Bluntschli and Verdross 109

7 Conclusion 128.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780708323670

0708323677

9780708323823

0708323820

OCLC:

670480178